We have been long time fans of quail eggs simply because they're cute! This recipe is inspired by the quail egg yakitori on the menu at one of our favorite Japanese restaurants in the SF Bay Area, Kamameshi, then developed through internet research from several sites listed in the notes.

1

Combine the soy sauce, mirin, sake, chicken broth, sugar, ginger, and garlic in a small pot. Bring to a boil, add cornstarch solution, then simmer to reduce to make the yakitori tare sauce. (In Japanese cuisine, tare = salt component.)

2

Using a pushpin, poke a small hole in the round end of each quail egg. Fill a small saucepan with water, transfer the eggs into the pan, and add enough water to cover the eggs with 1" of water. Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to the water, then bring to a boil.

3

Cover the saucepan and remove from heat. Rest for 5 minutes.

4

With a slotted spoon, transfer the quail eggs into an ice bath in a small bowl.

5

Roll the eggs on a paper towel to break the shell. Peel, rinsing under running water if pieces of egg shell remain.

6

Transfer the peeled eggs into the yakitori tare sauce to coat, then thread them through a skewer. Briefly grill, optional, then serve immediately.

notes

We also like to add quail eggs to Japanese curry. We'll store the peeled eggs in a small bowl, coat them in some curry sauce, and add them right before serving time. We had simmered the peeled quail eggs in the curry once and they became tough.

The addition of the vinegar in boiling water helps soften the shell, making it easier to peel. Similar to how we treat boiled chicken eggs, the ice ice bath for the quail eggs removes the green ring from the yolk and halts the cooking process. The cooked quail eggs can be stored in water or in an airtight container for up to 1 day in the fridge.

As an alternate to skewers, consider serving the peeled eggs in a martini glass.

Special thanks to the following posts for the information they shared on how to handle quail eggs and how to make yakitori sauce.
http://www.fixmeasnack.com/2011/03/how-to-hard-boil-quail-eggs/
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/yakitori-10000001823293/
http://www.kitchencow.com/2006/06/22/smells-like-yakitori/
http://www.dadcooksdinner.com/2011/06/recipe-yakitori-chicken-thighs-momo-and.html
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/352547/boiled-quail-eggs